“There is nothing better for a man than that he should eat and drink and make himself enjoy good in his labor. Even this I have seen is from the hand of God.” Ecclesiastes 2:24
I used to manage a coffee shop. There were things that I genuinely enjoyed about it-the hustle and bustle of busy morning rushes. Making a quality drink for someone to enjoy, chit-chatting with the regulars that came in, and working with a fun team of people. There was a comradery that I still think about and miss from time-to-time. But there was so much more that I didn’t love about the job than what I did. I found myself complaining at home about it a lot and wishing I didn’t have to work at all. I felt restless inside and longed to stay home with my kids. I wanted to write and communicate God’s truth to others, bringing hope and encouragement. I’d tell myself I could do it all. I can work my job, be there for my husband and six kids, AND work on my dream of communicating God’s word to the world. But as each day went by I never could seem to find time to work on my writing, which is what I really longed to do. So I continued on, dissatisfied with my days work and longed for something more.
Until finally I came to the realization that I could not do it all. I had to make a decision, because if I didn’t, I feared that I would eventually be an old woman sitting on my death bed full of regrets. Just wishing that I had chased my dream. Was I going to continue to work and be discontent because I was afraid of the sacrifice that I’d have to make in order to chase a dream?
After taking the time to really press in to God and seek His counsel, I felt it was time to let the coffee shop go. And can I just tell you, I have never regretted it. I have not for one day wished that I kept that job. Just the opposite happened, I have never loved life more than I do in this moment.
Fulfillment comes when you are obeying God’s will for your life. When you are doing the very thing you know that He has called you to. You will work hard but there is a sense of satisfaction that comes when you give yourself and invest yourself fully into something that you know can make an eternal difference.
Time is a valuable thing. Once it is spent, it gone forever. So let me encourage you today to take inventory of how you’re spending your time. If you have peace about what you’re doing, then keep at it! But if you don’t have peace about what you’re doing and you find yourself complaining about it, this could be a big indication that it’s time to lay it down. If it doesn’t help you further God’s calling on your life then its time to get out the pruning shears and take it out of your schedule. If it’s not helping you move closer to the goal, then it needs to go.
